Counterfeit stamps

Gary123456790

It all reminds me of this !
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/10411201/Royal-Mail-man-makes-own-silly-stamps-featuring-his-own-face-and-sends-letters-for-free.html

custardy

NBLondon wrote: »

The problem some foresee is that the older stamps don't have the anti-counterfeit features - meaning that a perfectly valid stamp from the 80s or 90s might be mistakenly detected as counterfeit by an over-zealous or under-trained RM employee. Hence the recipient gets dinged for a fee.

Of course, RM should be detecting actual fakes - which are taking revenue away from them - and taking steps that those who are knowingly distributing them are getting visits from police.

Maybe RM should simply cease to accept old stamps,after it works for bank notes.

RFW

NBLondon wrote: »

The problem some foresee is that the older stamps don't have the anti-counterfeit features - meaning that a perfectly valid stamp from the 80s or 90s might be mistakenly detected as counterfeit by an over-zealous or under-trained RM employee. Hence the recipient gets dinged for a fee.

Of course, RM should be detecting actual fakes - which are taking revenue away from them - and taking steps that those who are knowingly distributing them are getting visits from police.

True. The difference is (Custardy may be able to correct me) old stamps need sorting by hand so any volume of fake old stamps would be easy to spot and alerted. If anyone was counterfeiting those it's the buyers who would get caught out rather than Royal Mail. I'd be surprised if anyone was counterfeiting old generic stamps they'd be so much harder to shift and easier to spot.

emmbrook

All stamps have a phosphor coating or bands to allow for automatic sorting - the fakes don’t have phosphor - it’s either simulated or absent. Phosphor has been on stamps since the 60s so any valid stamps even from 40 years or more ago will have this.

NBLondon

custardy wrote: »

Maybe RM should simply cease to accept old stamps,after it works for bank notes.

FAQs on the RM website:

Stamps without a specified monetary value are described as Non Value Indicator (NVI) and are typically First and Second Class stamps. These do not have an expiry date, therefore can be used regardless of the length of time you've had them. Stamps with a monetary value also do not have an expiry date and can be combined to make up the value of postage required.

The Bank of England will always exchange old notes for current issues to the same value - so presumably RM would have to do the same and exchange any mint decimal stamps for the current equivalent. It's a legal obligation on the BoE - I don't know whether it would also be for the RM, But in the absence of any other terms - somebody paid x pence for postal services to be used at a future time with no stated time limit so RM should provide those services when needed or refund the payment.

custardy

NBLondon wrote: »

FAQs on the RM website:


The Bank of England will always exchange old notes for current issues to the same value - so presumably RM would have to do the same and exchange any mint decimal stamps for the current equivalent. It's a legal obligation on the BoE - I don't know whether it would also be for the RM, But in the absence of any other terms - somebody paid x pence for postal services to be used at a future time with no stated time limit so RM should provide those services when needed or refund the payment.

No idea on the legalities. I had wondered if they would have brought this up pre privatisation.

NBLondon

custardy wrote: »

No idea on the legalities. I had wondered if they would have brought this up pre privatisation.

Yeah - that would be the logical time to challenge the obligation (if there is one) and balance the cost of processing the older stamps vs. the cost of running a replace/refund process and attached bad publicity.

Random thought... The stamps change when the monarch does. There must have been a change-over period but were, say, George VI stamps still valid up to Decimal Day or did they expire at some point in the 50s and 60s?

A quick Google gives this thread https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=43185 which suggests there is a precedent for invalidating older stamp issues. So when Lizzie pops her clogs there could be an opportunity to declare anything pre (some convenient date) as invalid after (suitable period).

emmbrook

I do hope not - I have probably about a grands worth of it old but valid stamps - bought at a good discount which helps keep costs down.

NBLondon

Well there would be a grace period - time for you to use them up telling people what you think of the new King Problem is that replacing them with the new ones will be more expensive as I can't see many discounted ones being around for the first few years (unless they are counterfeit!)

misterthrifty

I recall there was a system for returning unwanted postage to Edinburgh using form P674, though they deduct 15% for admin. I'm not sure whether the privatised RM still does that.


When decimal currency was introduced there was an amnesty period for using or returning postage so they will probably have to do that again when they get a chance to demonatize previous issues, Brexit, death of the Monarch? Will they continue to issue postage stamps after that though? The philatelic market is not as big as it was and most small PO's don't stock many of the new issues already.